Peiers



(No Model.) v 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

.F. STITZ-EL-& 0. WEINED'EL.

ELECTRIC SEMAPHORE SETTING APPARATUS.

No. 417,526. Patented Dec. 1'7, 1889.

(No Model.)

. 4 8hee'ts-Sheet 2. F. STITZEL 8v 0. WEINEDEL. ELBGTRIGSEMAPHORE SETTING APPARATUS. N0. 417,526.

Patented Dec; 17, 1889.

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4 Sheets-Sheet 4. v.

1-". STITZEL & a. WBINEDEL. ELECTRIC SEMAPHORE SETTING APPARATUS.

' Patented Dec. 117,1889.

(No Model.)

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK STITZEL AND CHARLES WEINEDEL, O'F LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNORS TO THE AMERICAN SEMAPHORE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC SEMAPHORE-SETTING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,526, dated December 17, 1889. I Application filed April 11, 1889 Serial No. 306,774. (No model.)

Apparatus; and we do hereby declare the fol-' lowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the-same.

Our invention relates to an improvement in electric semaphore apparatus for signaling railroad-trains, and more particularly to such as are used in connection with the block system.

Railroad-signals adapted to be operated by a passing train through the medium of electric circuits and cont'rivances have been constructed in a variety of ways. In some instances powerful magnets' and correspondingly powerful batteries have been employed, which are undesirable, for various and obvious reasons. In other cases, Where the mag- 2 5 nets used were less powerful, they have been incompetent to reliably operate the device, owing to the defective construction of the apparatus; and, again, it is a; notable fact that when a train passes aisemaphore apparatus the frame-work is vibrated more or less by the jar caused by the train and the oper at-ive mechanism caused to rattle, which rattling or shaking of parts is liable to release some lever or wheel before the proper time,

3 5 and thus cause a false signal to be displayed.

- It is the object ofour present invention to obviate the objections of prior constructions and to produce a semaphore which shall be sure and effective in operation.

A further object is to so construct the apparatus that but small battery-power will be required to operate it.

r A further object is to so construct a semaphore apparatus that when set the rattling of the parts caused by the jar of a passing train will not operate to release the mechanism;

.A further object is to construct a semaphore device in which some of the parts make contact with other parts with more or less pressa view of the device with a portion of the front plate removed to show the operating mechanism, said mechanism being in a position to hold the signaling devices at safety. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the parts in a position to indicate dangen Fig. 3 is a sectional View showing the visual signalblade. Fig. 4 is a view of the device with a portion of the frame-work and parts of the operating mechanism removed. Fig. 5 is a view showing the arrangement of circuits. Fig. 6 is a detached view of the magnet, armature, and attached parts. Figs. 7- and 8 are views of certain details.

A represents the head or frame for containing the operating mechanism, and is supported at a suitable height on a hollow post or upright B,both of said parts being preferably made of metal.

Secured to the rear face of the head A is a diagonally-disposed yoke C, having a central screw-threaded boss at its center for the reception of a similarly-threaded screw 1), the inner end of which is made hollow to produce a bearing for one end of a shaft D. The shaft D passes through the rear wall of the head A, and is journaled at its rear end in a perforation a in a bracket or hanger E, secured to a projection on the inner face of the rear wall of the head A.' Secured upon the shaft D, (which is preferably made square throughout 5 the greater portion of its length,) at a point .between the diagonal arm of the yoke C and the rear wall of the head A, is a signal-blade F, which, when made to assume a vertical position,is designed to indicate safety, and

when in a horizontal position to denote danger. One end of the blade will preferably be provided with a weight T, to co-operate with other devices hereinafter described to bring the blade to danger. To prevent the signal-blade from coming into contact with the iron yoke and becoming marred thereby, a block of rubber Z) will be secured to the upper short arm of the yoke and adapted to receive the edge of the blade as it moves from one position to the other.

The front and rear faces of the head are provided with openings 0, in which are placed plates of white glass. A shaft 0 is journaled between the front and rear walls of the head A centrally over the openings 0 and provided with depending arms 0 which terminate at their lower ends in circular holders c adapted to receive colored glass or other colored transparent material. A lamp is placed in the head A, between the openings 0 and between holders 0. lVhen the holders containing the colored material swing back from the openings c, by means of mechanism hereinafter described, a white light will be displayed to indicate safety; but when said colored material is in front of or in line with the openings a colored (usually red) light will be displayed to indicate danger.

The front wall of the head A is provided with a perforation in line with the perforation of bracket-E for the reception of a screw (Z,said screw being made hollow throughout a portion of its length to form a bearing for one end of a shaft F. The opposite end of the shaft F is made hollow for a short distance and of a size externally to pass through the perforation a of hanger E, the hollow portion being intended to receive the inner end of the shaft D. Bythus journaling the shafts D F in the bracket E, one within the other, much space will be saved and the number of parts reduced.

Fixed on the shaft F is a collar G, having a ratchet-wheel G secured to or made integral'with its inner extremity, and a sprocketwhe'el G at or near its opposite end for the reception of a sprocket-chain and weight, as explained farther on in this description.

Loosely mounted on the shaft F, immediately in rear of the ratchet G, and of considerably larger size than the same, is a toothed wheel l-I, having four teeth or proj ections e projecting from its periphery at equidistant points. 011 the rear face of the wheel H, slightly removed from the periphery thereof, and in line or approximately in line with the projections e, is a series of lugs 6, equal in number with said projections e and having one face inclined. The opposite face of'said wheel has pivoted to it a dog f, adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet-wheel G and cause 'said wheels to rotate together when the shaft F is turned in one direction and to ride over said teeth and prevent rotation of the wheel when the shaft turns in the reverse direction, said dog being held in engagement with the ratchet-wheel by means of a spring f, secured at one end to the face of the wheel and bearing at its other end upon said dog.

Fixed upon the shaft D is a double arm I, having a quadrant I fixed thereto at one end, said quadrant preferably having one face grooved for the reception of a rope or chain I secured thereto at its upper end, a weight I being suspended at the free end of the rope or chain I This weight will preferably be made in two parts 1' 2, the part 1 being adapted to rest upon the bottom. of the head A, and part 2 upon a suitable support 3. A rod 5 passes freely through a perforation in the upper weight and is secured to the lower weight in any preferred, manner. \Vith such construction, when the shaft D first begins to turn to display the safety-signal, the weight 1 will be taken up, and when the shaft has hearly completed its turn the weight 2-will be taken up. By this means the momentum of the main weight, which operated the apparatus, as presently explained, will be broken, and small battery-power will be required to hold the parts which control the signal. The opposite end of the arm I from quadrant I is broadened and has pivoted to its side face at one end of the broadened portion a pivbted lateh'l which lies parallel with the face .bf arm I and extends to the opposite end of the broadened portion thereof, where it is proivided with'a hook 1*, adapted to engage the lugs e of wheel H. Thus, when the wheel II is rotated, its engagement withthe double arm I will cause said arm and its shaft, to which it is made fast, to turn and change the position of the signal-blade F. A lug is made to project from the double arm I at a point nearthe broadened end thereof and adapted to engage a stop 9 projecting from the wall of the head A, whereby the rotation bf the double arm in one direction islimited, for a purpose which will appear farther on in this description.

' In order that the depending arms 0 carrying the colored material, may move in unison with the signal-blade, they are connected by a rod g with the quadrant I of arm I, said i'odbeing secured at one end to a pin projecti ngfrom the rear face of the arm I near the upper portion of the quadrant in any preferred manner and at the other end to a short arm g, projecting from one of thearms c Passing transversely through the pivoted latch 1 and projecting from the rear side thereof, is a pin 1, which forms the journal for a small roller. I, for the accommodation of which a recess I is cut in the lower end of the double arm I. A semicircular .plate I is pivoted at its upper extremity in an enlargement formed in the upper part of the head A and extends downwardly parallel with the arc of a circle described by the broadened end of the double arm I. This curved plate serves as a track upon whichthe roller runs, and thus prevents the improper disengagement of the latch I from the lugs e of wheel H.

Secured to the interior wall of the head, below the wheel H, is a bracket J, between the arm J of which and the wall of the head av fixed shaft K is located. Loosely mounted near its inner end upon the shaftK is a lever L, which comprises a rear broadened portion I j, two side arms j, and a forwardly-projecting arm j Perforations are madeat or near the center of-the broadened portion of the lever roller with which the peripheral projections 6 of wheel H are adapted to engage and vibrate the lever in one direction. Secured in the broadened portion j of lever L, in rear of the shaft K and slightly above the same, is a short shaft Z, upon which is loosely mounted a link 1'. The opposite end of link Z is connected with the lower extremity of thecurved plate I. The free end of lever L is supported when in its lowest position by a pin or projection 9 projecting from the interior wall of the head A. The outer extremity of lever L is preferably provided with a small upwardly-proj ecting toe 9 so that a sure bearing for said lever against the pivoted catch, presently described, may be had.

Magnets M are placed, preferably, on a stand M, having uprights M at each end projecting somewhat above the tops of the cores of the magnets, where they are perforated for the reception of screws or pins, which serve as bearings for a shaft M This shaft is provided with a flat under face immediately over vthe magnet-poles for the reception of a soft- -iron armature M the longitudinal edge of which projects beyond the shaft, and by mean s of which theshaft is given an oscillatory movement in one direction through the medium of shaft M in the opposite direction from the armature M The weighted arm 3/ 5 is limited in its downward movement by an arm 9 projecting from one of the .uprights M The two standards M may be connected by a bar or yoke M for maintaining them in a rigid position. Near one end the shaft M is provided with a notch N directly in the path of the free end of the arm j of lever L. Secured to the shaft M in rear of the notch or recess N, is a slightly-curved depending arm N, which is bent near its upper end and at the base of the notch or recess N to produce a shoulder N upon which the free end of arm j of lever L rests when the parts are in their normal positions and the magnet M is energized to 0 by two corners is a block or detent P, having a flange '22 depending from one edge thereof, adapted to engage the shaft M and thus limit the vibration of the detent P in one direction. A short arm P projects upwardly from the top face of detent P and passes through a recess Q in the end of a bent arm Q. The arm Q is preferably made in the shape of an inverted L, the long arm Q being secured to one of the uprights M while the shorter arm Q projects over the detent P. The free end of arm j of leverL is adapted to engage the under surface of the block or detent P when the parts are in the danger positions and the magnet is demagnetized to release its armature. By this construction a broad bearing for the lever is afforded by the detent P, whereby said lever is prevented from upward vibration at an improper time' A train passing over the track will jar the signaling apparatusin proximity thereto and cause the operative parts'of the mechanism to rattle, and thus increase the liability of an improper release of the parts, the result of course being to displaya false signal. Hence the importance of a broad firm bearing for the lever which controls the operation of the device.

Secured to the base of the hollow post B is a bracket R, having journaled therein a grooved pulley R. A drivechain passes about this pulley R and is secured at one end to the lower end of a weight S. The other end is then carried up/into the head A and passed over the sprocket-wheel G and the free end of the chain is next fastened to the upper end of the weight, thus making in effect an endless drive-chain with an interposed weight. The post B being of considerable height, the Weight will serve for some time without rewinding, as said weight moves buta short distance at each operation of the apparatus. the weight, it is simply necessary tofpull upon the drive-chain from the base of the post, instead of having to climb the post to wind up the mechanism, as is usually the case.

In lieu of the arrangement of sprocket-gear for driving the apparatus above described, a drum may be provided on shaft D and a weighted chain or rope attached thereto.

It will be seen from the construction of the apparatus that when the armature M is released and the parts are in the positions which they assume when the signals are at danger the free end of the arm 3' of lever L bears against the detent P with considerable forcein fact, with a force equal to the weight S. When the armature is attracted and the shaft rotated to release the lever L, there will be considerable frictional resist- IIO Vhen it is necessary to" wind upv ance between the arm 7' and detent P, thus rendering the release of the lever uncertain, especially if the battery which energizes the magnets M is not at its maximum strength. This uncertainty of operation is obviated by our present invention, as will be apparent from the following:

hen the magnets are rendered dormant and shaft M is permitted to oscillate, the arm P will strike arm Q and cause detent P to swing, so that a portion of its under face will obstruct the path of arm 7' of leverLthrough the recess N of shaft M Said arm 7' will therefore engage said detent and be retained thereby. Now when the magnets are energized and their armature attracted to oscillate the shaft M the upwardly-projecting arm P of detent P will strike one wall of the recess Q in arm Q when the armature is near the end of its movement. Consequently, when the magnets exert their maximum strength, the detent will be caused to turn on its pivot and be thrown completely out of line with the recess of shaft M and permit the lever L to rise. In effect the detent P is pushed off the arm 7' of lever L after the armature has started to move and gained momentum, instead of simply being moved out of the path of said arm when the armature is farthest from the magnets, and they in consequence exerting their minimum strength. The respective ends of the helices of the magnets M are connected with the respective rails of the railroad-track at one end of the block of railroad. The other ends of the tracks of said block are connected with the respective are normally energized and hold the signal at safety, as will be seen from the following description of the operation of the apparatus.

It is evident that the arrangement of circuits herein described may be modified in various ways so long as the magnets are energized when the signal is at safety and demagnetized when the signal is at danger.

\Vhen the parts are in the positions to indicate safety, as shown in Fig. 1, a train entering the block will short-circuit the bats tery by means of its wheels and axles, and thus cause the magnets to become dormant and release their armature. The armature M being thus released, the shoulder N of arm N is moved out of the path of the arm f of leverL and said lever allowed to fall by gravity, the peripheral projection e of wheel H being held out of engagement with the roller of lever L by the engagement of the lug g of arm I with the stop 9". As lever L moves downwardly, the semicircular plate I is caused to turn on its pivot through the medium of the link Z and move away from the pivoted latch. The ,free end of the latch will then become disengaged from lug e of wheel H. The'double arm I will now be free to make a partial revolution, being impelled by the weight 1 After the arm I shall have been released a peripheral projection c of wheel H will engage the roller of lever L and vibrate the free end of said lever and cause it to engage the detent P, against which it will bear with a pressure equal to the main weight S, as above explained. The movements of the parts just described, with the exception of the backward movement of the double arm I, are caused by means of the force exerted upon the wheel H by the weight S. As the double arm makes its backward movement, as above described, it carries with it the signal-blade F from a vertical or safety to a horizontal or danger position, and also forces the holders in alignment with the openings 0 in the head A.

It will be seen from the above that all the weights, including the one on the signal-blade, co-operate to bring the signal to danger, and that said weights are permitted to act the instant the battery becomes short-circuited and the magnet thereby demagnetized. Now when a train passes off the tracks of a block the magnets are again energized, the armature attracted, and the shaft M rotated to free the arm j of lever L, which will be positively shoved from its bearing on detent P, as above explained. The force of the main weight upon the wheel H will now cause one of the projections c on the wheel II to engage the roller in the lever L and tilt said lever sufficiently to permit the passage of said projection. The lever L then drops to its normal position by gravity and the wheel eontinues to rotate. As wheel II rotates, one of the lugs e on its rear face comes in contact with the pivoted latch I and thus carries the broadened end of the double arm with it until lug g engages stop 9'', which forms a positive stop for the double arm. During this movement of the double arm, which is fixed on the same shaft with the signal-blade, the signal-blade will be carried to a vertical position denoting safety. At the same time the holders 0 will be withdrawn from the openings in the head, and the apparatus will beset to indicate safety or track clear.

It will be noticed that the wheel H always moves in the same direction, being retained from movement in the reverse direction by the engagement of the dog 6 with the projections on the periphery of the disk of wheel II. This dog may be pivoted in the top of the head and in proximity to the wheel ll. It will also be seen that all the parts of the operating mechanism will be protected by the head A and hollow post B and not liable to become rusty from exposure to the weather.

Many slight changes might be made in the constructive details of our invention without departing from the spirit of our invention or limiting its scope. Hence we do not wish to limit ourselves to the precise details of construction herein described; but,

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In asemaphore, the combination, with a head, of a signaling device mounted therein, mechanism for turning the same in reverse directions, a lever, a pivoted detent to maintain the lever from .vibration in one direction, and an arm carried by an oscillatory shaft for preventing said lever from vibration in the opposite direction, substantially as set forth.

2. In a semaphore, the combination, with a head, of a signaling device mounted therein, mechanism for turning the same in reverse directions, a lever, a pivoted detent, and devices engaged by said detent whereby the detent is moved into and out of the path of said lever, substantially as set forth.

3. In a semaphore, the combination, with a head, of asignaling device mounted therein, mechanism for turning the signal in opposite directions, a pivoted lever, an oscillatory shaft, a pivoted detent carried by the shaft, and devices for moving said detent into and out of the path of the leveigsubstantially as set forth.

4. In a railroad-signal, the combination, with a head, of a signaling device mounted therein, mechanism for turning the signal in opposite directions, a pivoted lever, an oscillatory shaft, an armature carried thereby, an electro-magnet, a pivoted detent carried by the shaft, and devices for moving said detent into and out of the path of the lever, substantially as set forth.

5. In a semaphore, the combination, with a head, of a signaling device mounted therein, mechanism for moving the same in reverse directions, a pivoted lever, an oscillatory shaft, an armature carried thereby, an electromagnet, a pivoted detent carried by the shaft to prevent the lever from vibration in one direction, and an arm carried by said shaft for maintaining the lever from vibration in the reverse direction, substantially as set forth.

6. In a semaphore, the combination, with a head, of a signaling device mounted therein, mechanism for turning the same in reverse directions, a pivoted lever, an oscillatory shaft having a recess in the path of the free end of said lever, a pivoted detent carried by the shaft, devices for moving said detent into and out of line with said recess, and an electro-magnet for controlling the operation of the oscillatory shaft, substantially as set forth.

. 7. In a semaphore, the combination, with a head, of a signaling device mounted therein,

mechanism for turning the same in reverse directions, a pivoted lever, an oscillatory shaft having a recess in the path of the free end of said lever, a pivoted detent carried by the shaft, devices for moving the detent into and outof line with said recess, an arm secured to the shafthaving a shoulder in line with the recess, and an electro-magnet for controlling the operation of the shaft, substantially as set forth.

- 8. In a semaphore, the combination, wit-h a head, of a signaling device mounted therein, mechanism for turning the same in reverse directions, a pivoted lever, a pivoted detent in the path of said lever, an arm on said detent, and a recessed arm with which the arm on the detent engages, substantially as set forth. I

' 9. In a semaphore, the combination, with a head, of a signaling device mounted therein,

mechanism for turning said signal device in reverse directions, a pivoted lever, an oscillatory shaft carrying an armature, a magnet, a detent pivoted on said shaft, an arm on said detent, and an arm secured to an upright and having a recessed end in which the arm on the detent is adapted to oscillate, substantially as set forth.

10. In a semaphore, the combination, with a head, of a signaling device mounted therein, mechanism for turning said signal in reverse directions, a pivoted lever, an oscillatory shaft carrying an armature, a magnet, a detent pivoted on said shaft, an arm on said detent, an arm secured to an upright and having a recessed end in which the arm on the I detent is adapted to oscillate, and a flange on the detent adapted to strike against the shaft to limit the movement of said detent, substantially as set forth.

11. In a semaphore, the combination, with a head, of a signaling device mounted therein, mechanism for turning said signal device in reverse directions, a pivoted lever, a roller in rear of the pivot to be engaged by the operating mechanism, an oscillatory shaft, a detent carried thereby, and a magnet for con trolling the operation of the oscillatory shaft, substantially as set forth.

12. In a semaphore, the combination, with ahead, of two shafts mounted therein, a-visual signal-blade and a weighted arm secured to one of said shafts, a pivoted latch carried by said Weighted arm, a Weighted sprocket-chain passing over the other shaft to drive it, a wheel on the latter shaft having projections to engage the pivoted latch, a pivoted curved plate adapted to bear against said latch, a pivoted lever, a link connecting the lever and curved plate, and a pivoted detent with which the lever engages, substantially as set forth.

13. In a semaphore, the combination, with a head, of two shafts mounted therein, a visual signal-blade and a weighted arm secured to one of said shafts, a lug on said arm, a stop on the head with which said lug is adapted to engage, a pivoted latch carried by said weighted arm, a weighted sprocket chain passing over the other shaftto drive it, awheel also on the latter shaft, having projections to engage the pivoted latch, and devices for releasing said arm from said wheel, substantially as set forth.

14. In a semaphore, the combination, with ahead, of two shafts mounted therein, a'visual on the head with which said lug engages, a In testimony whereof we have signed this pivoted latch carried by said Weighted arm, specification in the presence of two subscriba weighted sprocketehain passing over the ing witnesses.

other shaft to drive it, a wheel also on the 5 latter shaft, having projections to engage the FREDERICK STITZEL. pivoted latch, a pivoted plate adapted to bear CHARLES VEINEDEL.

against said latch, a pivoted lever, alink connecting said lever and pivoted plate, and a \Vitnesses:

pivoted detent with which said lever engages, J NO. MAAS, J12, IO substantially as set forth. C. L. KRIEGER. 

